When battling dry, cracked skin, we all want a moisturizer with more power, something with a bit of kick to it! Of course, whatever we use, we always want to keep it natural and healthy. This DIY body butter recipe is just the thing, my secret weapon for combating ultra-dry skin!
You can make it in your own kitchen, using just 3 ingredients!
How It All Works
To make this recipe you need shea butter, coconut oil and a liquid oil. You can use avocado, apricot kernel, jojoba or olive for the latter, but I prefer to use sweet almond oil. It’s a thick and ultra-moisturizing!
The process is simple: melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a double boiler (what is that?) to eliminate lumps, then let these two ingredients cool and return to a solid state. Once they have, you’ll whip them into creamy fluff while incorporating the liquid oil.
And that’s really all there is to it! Here’s the recipe and directions!
A DIY Body Butter Recipe for Dry Skin
Here the exact recipe I use when I need a healthy skin moisturizer with extra power!
- ½ C shea (here’s the type I like to use)
- ¼ C coconut oil (get yours here)
- 2 Tbs of sweet almond oil (get it here) or your oil of preference
Directions to Follow
Add water to the bottom of your double boiler, filling it 3/4 full. Set it on the stove and turn your burner to medium-high.
While the water is warming up, measure out ½ C shea butter and ¼ coconut oil. Place these two ingredients in the top portion of your double boiler and set in on the water-filled base.
Adjust heat to medium-low so it doesn’t boil, so your shea butter and coconut oil will slowly melt into a golden puddle.
After it has melted, pour the colorful liquid into a mixing bowl. Set it in a cool place and wait for things to firm up. Note: this process can take several hours at room temperature!
Once the shea butter and coconut oil have returned to a solid state, it’s time to fluff the ingredients. I have a small, handheld KitchenAid electric mixer that I like to use for small batches of body butter. However, if you’re making a double batch (like I was in this tutorial), you can use a larger, stationary mixer. Just be sure to use the wire whisks!
Whip the solids for 15 seconds or so, until they resemble the consistency of sour cream. Measure out and slowly add 2 tablespoons of liquid oil to the creamy butter. Whip for another 15 seconds.
And you’re done! You just completed this DIY body butter recipe and now have an extra-nourishing skin moisturizer for everyday use.
Storing Homemade Body Butter
Once prepared, your homemade body butter can go directly into a storage container. Because it’s so thick, body butter doesn’t work in pump or a squeezable bottle. I like to store mine in a vintage glass jar, but you can use anything you have available!
How to Apply Body Butter
If you’re accustomed to using commercially prepared, water-based skin moisturizers, you’ll have a slight learning curve ahead of you! Don’t slather this stuff on as thick as you possibly can!
Body butter is made of 100% fats and oils! If you apply too much, your skin won’t be able to absorb it all. Not only is this wasteful, but you’ll soon discover it’s annoying! Your skin will be sticky for hours and in that time, you’ll pick up dust from your home, plus lint and fuzzies from clothing.
When you apply this body butter, take a dime-size dollop and rub it between your hands to melt the oils. Apply to the body, spreading it so thin you can hardly tell it’s there! This DIY body butter recipe creates such a rich substance, your skin really doesn’t need much!
Caring for Your Body Butter
Before I let you go, I also want you to know that body butter does melt when exposed to high heat! For example, if you leave it in your car on a hot summer day or forget it in a south-facing window, it will melt into a pool of liquid.
Don’t throw it out! Put it in a cool place and once it has returned to a solid state, simply send it through your kitchen mixer once again, until it’s light and fluffy!
All clear? Let me know how your first attempt with this DIY body butter recipe goes! And if you have any questions, be sure to send them my way!
I'm Autumn. Join me in the simple cottage life and learn how to keep a traditional kitchen, garden and pantry!
I love this stuff. I have dry skin and it moisturizes so well. I use it first thing in the morning and also at night before I go to bed. I’m not a big fan of makeup, but I do find that if I apply this lotion first and leave for about 5 minutes before applying foundation, it gives such a smooth natural look. My best advice is to use the lotion sparingly because a little goes a long ways.
Can you make it without an electric mixer? Just a whisk?
I’ve never tried. 🙂 You probably could, but it would take a very long time!
My niece would like to make this but she lives in Africa which is very hot. What is the best way to store the body butter?
Body butter definitely will melt down in the heat. She could still combine the ingredients, but they would probably stay in liquid form. Still totally usable, but a different end product. Hope that helps!
Okay I think I am confussed. It says to whip for 15 seconds and then another 15 seconds equaling 30 seconds. Is that right?
Yes, about 30 seconds in total. This recipe isn’t finicky, so I usually just count in my head!
I have just started using this as my base recipe and I love it. I originally started because my son has eczema and for some reason he is having small flare-ups this spring on his hands. Those lotions and creams can be very expensive. So I gave it a go and it works well on his skin. Now everyone in my house wants their own. I just started adding some light fragrances like French vanilla and a blueberry vanilla mix. Love it!!! Thx
Hurrah! So glad you found something affordable and natural that works for him!
What brand of fragrances do you use? Essential oils?
If I wanted to add Fragrance or color would that be a problem…. how many drops of fragrance and is it the same recipe?
I often add skin-nourishing essential oils to my body butter. This recipe takes about 15-20 drops. If you are using artificial fragrance, you would use less. How much, I’m not sure, because I dont use fragrances! And I’m trying to figure out why someone would add colorants to a skin moisturizer? Are you thinking to use it as a skin bronzer? I dont have any experience with this.
I actually saw some pink yellow and even light green… so that’s why I asked…. and yes I have essential oils… that’s what I meant by fragrance sorry.
I’m guessing they were coloring it just for fun? Mica and clay are both natural colorants you could try using! Just be careful with what you use; you wouldn’t want to stain your skin! 🙂
What size jar and how may for your recipe
This is a pint/500 MLS jar and the recipe makes one jar.
Is this a oily consistency?
Its fluffy and thick. I’m not sure what you mean by “oily consistency” but it is made from nothing but plant butters (oil) and carrier oil.
Could I use grape seed or hemp oil?
I’ve never used either grape or hemp oil in body butter, but as long as they come in liquid form, they should work well! Good luck!
Hello,
I am allergic to coconut. What can be substituted instead of coconut to make body butter?
Hi Tina,
You can make a thick, creamy body butter without coconut oil. Just use shea and liquid oil, omitting the coconut. The consistency won’t be as fluffy, but its will be highly moisturizing!
I made this with all of the ingredients.. it was not fluffy at all.. it did thicken up but was not fluffy.. suggestions?
Hi Renee!
Did you let it sit until it was solid? And then whip it for several minutes with an electric or hand held mixer? It needs to solidify and then it should get light and fluffy when you vigorously whip it up!
Where can I get fragrance to add to the body butter? Thanks!
I use quality essential oils that also support the skin (frankincense is my current fav). Hope that helps!
How do you store the butter and what is the shelf life?
I store mine on the shelf in my bathroom. 🙂 I usually use it up in about 16 month’s time
Thank you for sharing. I made this with avocado oil and this is the only thing my son will use now. He loves the texture I even added some fragrance to the body butter and it’s been a big hit. I will try to use a different for like almond oil or olive oil the next time I make a batch and see how it goes. This was very easy and took me really no time at all I hasten the step by putting it in the fridge to help harden it quicker and that works well to hasten the process.
Hurrah! So glad you liked it! If you want a really heavy butter, I recommend sweet almond oil. It’s amazing!